Fun, affordable and in-depth experiences in Rome led by an exceptional guide!
My story
After working for over 25 years with the world’s Leading Tour Operators (Trafalgar Tours, CHA Educational and Heritage Tours, Intercontinental Travel Company, Globus et al.), Barbara Ciarrapico is now offering her own tours of Rome.
Brought up in a family of Italian Diplomats, Barbara started travelling at an early age, studying Classics and obtaining her Baccalaureate from the International School of Geneva. She graduated magna cum laude with an MA in Economics and Political Science from the Università La Sapienza of Rome and undertook advanced studies in anthropology and archeology at Columbia University in New York. She also took a sabbatical year to enrol in an intensive programme of Renaissance studies in Florence, where she gained her professional licence as a guide, along with those she already held as a Tour Director and Tourism Operator.
Unforgettable tours
Rather than focusing on dates and names, Barbara provides fascinating tours explaining how key events and historical contexts have changed the course of history.
You will literally be blown away as you engage in a passionate series of interactive tours that bring history to life through the centuries.
By unveiling connections, decoding mysteries and diving into stories and legends, you will learn and understand history and art much more than you could possibly imagine.
Ancient Rome (3hrs): Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill
Christian Rome (full day): the Catacombs and the Appian Way
€65 – including skip-the-line tickets; small groups of max. 9 participants
€95 – including entrance fees and transportation; small groups of max. 12 participants
Visit the Catacombs, take a stroll along the Appian Way, the “Queen of Roads,” admire stunning villas and gardens. After lunch, we continue on to San Clemente to explore the undergrounds of Rome and the medieval church, as you learn of the fall of the Roman Empire and rise of Christianity. The tour ends at the Capuchin Crypt to understand the intense spirituality and mysticism of the monastic life.
Access the Gladiators’ Gate, step into the arena, visit the palaces of the emperors, explore the political and religious city centre of Ancient Rome. Barbara’s passion for Julius Caesar, fascinating stories of the emperors and legends of gladiators will bring history to life. Her in-depth understanding of how art, religion, language, the Roman Law and Democratic System are reflected in the modern world today brings all history together.
Renaissance & Baroque (2hrs): the fountains and squares of Rome
€38 – small groups of max. 12 participants
An extraordinary and fascinating journey from the rise of the Renaissance to the Baroque and Neoclassicism, unveiling the hidden history of the most iconic squares and majestic fountains of Rome: Bernini’s Four Rivers, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and much more.
On request, Barbara also offers tours to the Ancient Roman city port of Ostia, to Tivoli Gardens and Golf Cart tours. Prices available on demand.
“This year we took the Ostia Antica tour with a fabulous guide, Barbara. She was so passionate about the site and Roman history. In 20+ years of visiting Rome I’ve never had the history all brought together the way she did.
I wish I could give this tour and Barbara more than 5 stars, because it truly exceeded our expectations. After years of waiting, we felt we not only saw Ostia but experienced it and stepped into Roman life.”
- Matthew S., reviewing a Walks Inside Rome Tour led by Barbara on Tripadvisor
